Devils Don't Fly
by Darkest Ember
Summary: When millionaire Damon Salvatore returns to Mystic Falls, a trail of bloodshed and excitement follows. Elena Gilbert is fascinated by him and his daughter, Nadia. Much to her surprise, she's hired to be Nadia's full-time babysitter. Her thirst for information leads her down a dangerous path as she discovers that there's a lot more to this family than she imagined. Damon/Elena.
1. Coming Home

**Devils Don't Fly**

**By: Darkest Ember **

**Chapter 1: Coming** **Home**

* * *

_Summary: When millionaire Damon Salvatore returns to Mystic Falls, a trail of bloodshed and excitement follows. Elena Gilbert is fascinated by him and his daughter, Nadia. Much to her surprise, she's hired to be Nadia's full-time babysitter. Her thirst for information leads her down a dangerous path as she discovers that there's a lot more to this family than she imagined. _

_Disclaimer: Although the plot is my own creation, I do not own any of the Vampire Diaries characters. _

_Title Credit: "Devils Don't Fly" Natalia Kills _

* * *

Walking down the suburban streets of Mystic Falls at this late hour made Damon Salvatore feel like a predator. His gleaming eyes scanned the landscape while his enhanced ears listened for a nearby beating heart. He would be lying to himself if he pretended he wasn't some sort of monster. He knew he was out for the kill, and nothing could've excited him more.

After miles of walking, he came across a worthy candidate for his prolonged dinner. The blonde was struggling to lift a stack of boxes. She didn't notice him standing a mere five feet away from her. He cleared his throat and heard her heart attempt to leap through her chest.

A flutter of nervous laughter slipped from her lips as she turned around. "You scared me!" Her initial accusatory tone lightened once she saw how attractive he was.

The man held his hands out in defense. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to sneak up on you." He redirected his gaze to the boxes. "Those look heavy. Need some help?"

Entranced with his sudden and appealing appearance, she didn't even bother looking at the boxes. She numbly nodded her head before regaining the ability to speak. "Y-yeah, that would be great."

He shot her another charming smile before reaching for the boxes. Instead of lifting them up, though, he dropped them back down and pinned her up against the car with incomprehensible speed. A look of pure panic filled her eyes as she contemplated screaming.

The man stroked her arms as he loosened his grip. "You should feel honored, Blondie," he murmured, moving some loose strands of hair from her neck. "This will be my first kill in Mystic Falls since the 90s…" At this point, he was speaking more to himself than her. After all, it didn't matter that she knew this information.

He drew a deep breath as his fangs poked through his gums. As his face took on a more monstrous façade, her temptation to scream grew stronger. She let out a good howl before he placed a hand over her mouth and sunk his fangs into her soft flesh.

With each mouthful of blood he sucked out, her body lost resistance and strength.

He grinned as he sucked hungrily at what little life she had left. Just as he was about to finish her off, the porch light turned on and the door swung open. A woman wearing a police uniform squinted into the darkness. He barely had enough time to move their bodies to the other side of the car. The girl was bordering unconsciousness and hardly knew what was happening.

Holding her chin up, he forced her to look into his eyes. "It's unfortunate, but you're going to forget our little meeting tonight. You were just out here unpacking, you tried to carry more than you could manage and fell."

The compulsion maintained her attention long enough for her to nod before she slumped against the car again. He leaned in for a quick peck on the lips and was amused to see that such a little action could leave behind so much smeared blood.

* * *

Few things were as spooky as a nearly abandoned college, even if it was just a local community campus. Most students already left for summer vacation, and Elena Gilbert was one of the last lingering students. Her roommates, Caroline and Bonnie, had already headed back to Mystic Falls the previous night.

Everything was packed. Everything had been triple-checked. Yet, Elena still sought excuses to stay in the empty room. She mulled over the option of taking summer classes, but knew that this already cramped campus would become even smaller and considerably more boring. Unfortunately, Mystic Falls wasn't too much more appealing.

Ever since her parents died in a car crash near Wickery Bridge, nothing was normal in her life. Elena and her younger brother, Jeremy, were left in their Aunt Jenna's care. Eventually, Jenna married the high school's history teacher, Alaric, and their mismatched family felt somewhat whole again.

But it would never feel like home.

She groaned as she collapsed onto her bed and stared at the cracked ceiling. _I don't belong anywhere_, she thought sadly.

* * *

Each summer, Mystic Falls sponsored a series of community events. They usually didn't start until mid-June, so Elena couldn't fathom why there was so much traffic this late at night.

She craned her neck in an attempt to see around the other cars. Feelings of mixed curiosity and frustration prompted her to roll down her window and see if she could hear anything.

"Can you believe he's back in town?" a woman asked her friend as they scurried down the sidewalk.

The other woman shrugged. "That boarding house has been empty for as long as we've lived here. I didn't think anyone owned it anymore."

_The boarding house, _Elena wondered. _Why would anyone care about that decrepit building? _

She leaned out her window to address the passersby. "Who is moving into the boarding house?"

"Damon Salvatore," she replied. "His family has owned that land since this town's foundation, you know."

Elena thanked them for the information, but failed to see how that news could possibly result in such a commotion. What made the return of this Damon Salvatore so sensational?

Regardless of the reasoning, Elena knew that there was no way she'd make it home in this traffic. She took a sharp right and managed to find a parking spot in front of the Grill. Maybe after having a quick bite to eat, the drama will die down…or at least she hoped that would be the case.

Unfortunately, most of the people dining at the Grill were just as enamored with the gossip. Spotting her friends in a booth nearby, Elena shimmied between tables and sat down next to Bonnie.

"You should've left when we did," Caroline said, absently tightening a scarf around her neck. "I already have all my things unpacked."

"Plus, we avoided that insanity outside," Bonnie added, stealing a French fry from Caroline's plate.

"Speaking of that insanity, what the hell is going on? Someone outside said that everyone's excited because some _guy_ is coming to town–."

"ELENA," Caroline said, cutting her off. "He's not just some guy! Have you _seen_ what he looks like?"

"Have _you_ seen what he looks like?" Bonnie asked, arching a brow.

Caroline's shoulders slumped. "Well, not yet. But from what I've heard, he's a major hottie. He's some fancy millionaire from New Orleans and a single dad. He has a four-year-old daughter."

"Why would someone like that want to come back to Mystic Falls?" Elena asked, reaching for a menu. "Especially after leaving a place like New Orleans."

"He's one of the Founding Families," Bonnie noted. "Maybe that has something to do with it?"

"I don't care why he's here," Caroline declared. "As long as I get a chance to use my seductive charm on him."

The girls busted out in a fit of giggles. The likelihood of someone high profile like him taking notice of a couple broke college freshmen was laughable. But Caroline was determined and would probably make it her summer goal to get to know Damon Salvatore.

Thankfully, the conversation shifted to something else. Even as they discussed their summer plans, Elena couldn't help but wonder if she was the only one who still didn't understand what made this guy such a big deal.

It took another two hours for the hype and traffic outside the Grill to dissipate. Elena didn't really mind, though. Matt's shift ended shortly after she arrived, so he and Tyler joined their table. She hadn't heard from either of them since spring break, so it was nice to catch up.

Matt got a scholarship to play football for Virginia State, and Tyler's parents finally convinced him to pursue the path of politics. Despite completing a full year of college already, Elena felt as if she didn't accomplish anything. Her major was "undecided," which made her envy their more concrete career plans.

After saying her goodbyes and promising to hang out more often, Elena headed to her car. She fumbled through her purse in search of her keys, but stopped short when she heard footsteps behind her. Spinning around, she saw a little girl approaching her.

"Momma? Momma, is that you?" she said, a small smile forming on her face. Filled with excitement, she increased her pace, but tripped over the long fabric of her dress.

Elena gasped, hoping that the girl didn't hurt herself. She ran over to her and helped her get back on her feet. Aside from some dirt smears, the girl appeared to be fine. She wrapped her arms around Elena's waist. "I knew you'd come back."

"Did you lose your mom, sweetie?" Elena asked, glancing around to see if she could spot any women nearby.

"I thought I did, but here you are!" the girl grinned.

Elena frowned. _How could this girl think I'm her mother? I've never seen her before…_

She took the girl's hand and led her back toward the Grill. "Why don't we go over here and–."

"Nadia!" a man called. "Come on, Nadia. It's time to go!"

The girl looked between Elena and the man hailing her from across the street. "Is that your dad?" Elena asked, squinting to get a better look.

She nodded and tugged on Elena's hand. "Now that I found you, we can all go home."

Elena tore out of the girl's grip and bent down to her level. "My name is Elena Gilbert…I'm only nineteen years old. There's no way I could be your mom, Nadia."

Nadia pouted and looked like she was about to explode with resistance, but after the man called her another time, she receded. She gave Elena one last hard look before running across the street.

* * *

Things at home were pleasantly predictable for Elena. Jeremy was curled up on the couch with his girlfriend, Anna. Alaric took a break from grading history exams to congratulate Elena on her hard work, while Jenna rushed her into the kitchen to ask about Elena's social life. At first, Elena didn't really want to engage – mostly because there wasn't much to tell. But when Jenna pulled out the chocolate chip ice cream, Elena gave in.

Despite rumors that friends should never be roommates, Elena, Bonnie and Caroline's friendship only grew stronger while they lived together. They went to as many frat parties as possible, yet Elena still came up empty-handed in the relationship department. About two months before the spring semester ended, one of her friends, Aaron, asked her to be his girlfriend.

Their relationship so far had been depressingly similar to her relationship with Matt, but Elena was willing to give Aaron a chance. After all, it's only been a couple months.

Once it was Jenna's turn to dish, she revealed that she started taking online classes and got a job at the high school as a secretary. Elena wasn't quite sure how it happened, but suddenly the conversation shifted back to that infamous Damon Salvatore.

"Do you have any idea why this is such a big deal?" Elena asked, licking the last of her ice cream off the spoon. "You should've seen how crazy people were acting."

"Personally, I don't get it either," Alaric weighed in, leaning against the doorframe. "He's just some rich guy who's stupid enough to move to a small town."

* * *

The following morning, Elena felt as if all her worries had vanished as the result of sleeping in her own bed. With a brief stretch and a yawn, she crawled out of bed and went directly to her laptop. Renewed with this sense of positivity, she decided to start looking for her summer job.

Of course, the Grill had a ton of openings…so did several of the shops in town. Elena half-heartedly submitted a few applications, but none of these jobs sounded particularly exciting…or well paying. It wasn't until Elena found an ad for a babysitting website that she felt her high hopes return. She used to babysit for the neighbors all the time when she was younger. And, if she recalled correctly, Elena made quite a bit of money during those summers.

All she had to do was create a profile that showcased her skills and submit it to whichever parents she'd like to work for. The list of clients was arranged according to the most popular searches. At the top of the list was an offer to work for a single father and his four-year-old daughter. The babysitter would be paid $20 an hour and work 40 hours a week.

"It's perfect," she murmured, anxiously clicking the link. Her heart sank when she read the contact information: Damon Salvatore. "That figures."

She was going to return to the list of other less-obnoxious candidates, but froze when she saw the picture of him and his daughter. Two very striking details caused such a reaction: the man was _impossibly_ attractive…and his daughter was the girl that Elena ran into last night.

Excellent pay and good looks aside, if Elena were to take this job, she could find out why that girl would've been so convinced that she was her mother. Of course, it could also lead to some awkward situation, but Elena felt it might be worth that risk. She always had an insatiable curiosity, and this situation was no exception.

Not wanting to let doubt hinge her decision, she hastily hit the submit button and got off the website. She was starting to understand why everyone was so excited for Damon to return to Mystic Falls. Him and his daughter would be a mystery she'd look forward to solving.

* * *

Surrounded by boxes and ancient furniture, it was a miracle that Damon was able to not only set up his laptop and Wi-Fi, but also make space for the coffeemaker. He smirked as he scrolled down the massive list of new emails from today alone. It wasn't terribly surprising to see that most of them were responses to the ad he placed on some nanny website.

The first few responses were obvious attempts to meet him. None of them had any relevant experience and hardly any credentials. Although he absolutely loved all the attention he'd received since returning, he couldn't help but roll his eyes. So far, these girls couldn't hope to have a chance at this job.

He poured a vial of thick red liquid into his coffee and swirled it around while clicking the next link, which proved to be a huge mistake. The moment he saw the girl's picture, he spat the coffee all over the computer screen. She looked impossibly like his wife, his _dead_ wife. Upon scrolling through her profile and staring at her photo, Damon concluded that this 19-year-old couldn't be his wife.

Of course there were some subtle differences that he easily picked out, but that didn't make the sight any less haunting.

Her list of work experience could've said just about anything and it wouldn't make a difference. Damon's mind was set – she would be the one. She _had _to be the one. He needed to understand her, needed to know her.

After jotting down her contact information, Damon turned off the computer and leaned back in his chair, his lips stretched into a content smirk. _I knew there was a reason I chose to come back to Mystic Falls_, he thought.

* * *

**A/N: **Well here it is...yet another new Delena story. I've been working on this for a little over a week now and have the entire story planned out, so that should definitely make updates happen frequently ;) This chapter was meant to be ambiguous, so don't worry if it's a little confusing...things will be better explained in upcoming chapters.

If you read some of my other stories, I can tell you that I have several chapters planned for them; however, my hard drive crashed a few days ago, which means my laptop may or may not still have all my files on it. So, to kill time till that's repaired, I decided to work on something new. Let me know what you think!

XoXo Amber


	2. Interview With A Vampire

**Devils Don't Fly**

**By: Darkest Ember**

**Chapter 2: Interview With A Vampire **

* * *

_Summary: When millionaire Damon Salvatore returns to Mystic Falls, a trail of bloodshed and excitement follows. Elena Gilbert is fascinated by him and his daughter, Nadia. Much to her surprise, she's hired to be Nadia's full-time babysitter. Her thirst for information leads her down a dangerous path as she discovers that there's a lot more to this family than she imagined._

_Disclaimer: Although the plot is my own creation, I do not own any of the Vampire Diaries characters._

_Title Credit: "Devils Don't Fly" Natalia Kills_

* * *

The cemetery was veiled in shadows and streaks of sunlight. Elena situated herself on the bumpy ground with her journal in hand. The flowers she placed on her parents' graves during her last visit had wilted, and no one cleared away the debris. With a sigh, she leaned forward and brushed the dried weeds aside. A heavy silence descended upon the area as she struggled to find the right thing to say.

Did her parents already know about her first successful year of college? Did they know that she had a boyfriend? Did they know about Damon Salvatore?

Elena frowned as that last thought crossed her mind. To be fair, the Gilberts were one of the Founding Families, so it's possible that they would've known of him. If they were still alive, they could tell her something about him and quench her curiosity. Actually, if they were still alive, there were a lot of problems they could've helped her with…

Tears leaked down her cheeks as she thought about how different her life would've been if that accident didn't happen. She certainly wouldn't be spending her first day back from college sitting in a graveyard.

Submerged in her subconscious, Elena didn't notice the unusual fog swirling around her feet until a raven's insistent squawking elicited a reaction to her surroundings. Elena's eyes darted around the nearby gravestones until she found the bird, which seemed to be looking at her with hints of intrigue and skepticism.

Once she was able to tear away from the strange stare, Elena sprung to her feet and swatted her journal at the bird. She turned to leave, but froze when the bird mimicked her motions. To make matters worse, the fog had simultaneously grown thicker, which made her feel as though she were suffocating.

As she searched for the best escape route, she could've sworn she saw the silhouette of a man standing a few feet away. Under such unusual duress, she chucked a rock at the bird and ran toward the woods, not bothering to see if the bird or shadowy figure followed.

Safely inside the car, Elena locked the doors and stared up at the ceiling, gasping for breath. _What's going on with this town?_ She wondered. Everyone else may be thrilled to have a local celebrity in town, but something sinister came with him…and Elena hoped she wouldn't have another encounter with it.

* * *

There _was_ a man standing in the shadows, watching her. He waited until he heard her tires squeal in the distance before stepping around the concrete angel that concealed him. This outing was a mere experiment to Damon Salvatore – an experiment that Elena failed.

The eerie similarities between this girl and Katherine naturally prompted him to do some research. After browsing the Internet and talking to compelled sources in town, it seemed that Elena Gilbert was nothing more than an 18-year-old human.

But what if it had been Katherine? He knew how much Katherine liked to play games…maybe this was just a game. Maybe she was seeing how long she could pretend to live a worthless human life.

Unfortunately, today's encounter proved that to be impossible. _His_ Katherine would never display such fear from a few of his parlor tricks…which meant he was back at square one: Katherine was still dead, and he still didn't know how or why this girl looked so much like Katherine.

As he was leaving, he paused near the two gravestones that Elena had been visiting. The graves belonged to Grayson and Miranda Gilbert, "beloved parents" who died on the same day in 2009. He pitied the girl, who was clearly weighed down with bothersome human emotions.

Once Damon finished examining the graves, he glanced around the desolate cemetery. This portion was filled with the corpses of people who had died within the last 50 or so years. His interests rested in the patch of graves behind unruly trees and overgrown bushes.

He hadn't been to this place in over a century, yet his legs automatically took him down the route that led to her makeshift grave. Because her body was never recovered, Damon and Stefan buried an empty coffin in her memory.

As he closed his eyes, Damon saw the enflamed church on the backs of his eyelids. He did everything he could to save her, even sacrificed his own mortal life, but it wasn't enough.

A couple years after the birth of their child, Katherine displayed signs of paranoia, which was a contrast to her usual cool and seductive persona. She said that someone was coming for her, but Damon assured her that no danger would befall her so long as he was around.

Could Elena be the end to this constant guilt and bitterness? She could never be the same as Katherine, but maybe she could fill the void that Katherine left inside him.

Filled with a sudden burst of excitement and a hint of mischievousness, Damon dialed her number and extended an invitation for her to come to the boarding house for an interview.

Imagining all the fun he could have with her, he walked between rows of graves with a bit more pep in his step.

* * *

Elena's hands trembled as she ended the call. She just applied for that job last night, and Damon already called for an interview. There wasn't anything particularly outstanding on her profile…so something else must've captured his attention.

She should've been thrilled to get such an immediate response, but instead she felt critical and self-conscious as she sifted through her closest and boxes to find an acceptable outfit. _When was the last time I put _this_ much effort into getting dressed_, she wondered, while staring judgmentally at her reflection. _This is a job interview, not a date_.

With that in mind, she forced herself out the door and drove down the winding path that led to the Salvatore boarding house.

As the house loomed into view, everything seemed to become still and lifeless. There was no wind rustling leaves in the trees…no cars parked in the driveway…no curtains opened. The boarding house looked as though it were still abandoned. Elena bit her lower lip as she hesitantly approached the porch. Seconds after knocking, the door creaked open just enough for her to squeeze inside.

"H-hello?" she called, taking a few steps into the massive foyer.

Even with all the curtains closed and the door slightly ajar, Elena could tell that the dusty furniture was incredibly elegant. The hardwood floors were covered in massive rugs, and a variety of expensive paintings were displayed on the walls in the nearby parlor. As she took a few steps forward, the door slammed shut behind her.

Elena spun around, expecting to find someone standing behind her, but was startled to find the room just as empty as it had been a moment ago. She frowned at the door, hoping that it closed on its own…maybe from a gust of wind…

"You must be Elena," a voice said from behind her. A screech slipped past her lips as her heart thudded against her chest. She turned around and came face-to-face with Damon Salvatore.

Damon cocked his head and smirked but didn't appear to be offended that she let herself in. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to sneak up on you," he said. He sounded apologetic, but there was something about the way that he was smiling at her that suggested he had _every_ intention of sneaking up on her.

She turned around and pointed back to the door with a confused expression. "The door was…open," she said slowly, more to herself than him.

He cast a playfully skeptical glance at the door before his gaze returned to her. "I'm glad you made it on such short notice. Here, let me show you around," he said, wrapping an arm around her shoulders as he escorted her around the first floor.

The last stop on the tour was his office. Damon sat down behind a massive mahogany desk and shuffled through some papers for a few minutes before fully redirecting his attention. "So, Elena," he began, "why don't you tell me more about yourself? You managed to include a lot of job-relevant information on your profile, but I want to know more about you…the sort of things you can't squeeze into a resume."

Elena used her fingers to rake some stray hairs behind her ear as she pondered her answer. "Well, I've lived in Mystic Falls my entire life," she said. "Right now I'm studying at Whitmore College. I'm currently undecided in my major, but I'm leaning toward something in the writing or medical fields…"

Her voice trailed off once she realized the significance of what she said. Her mother had always encouraged her to seek a career that involved writing, since Elena enjoyed doing it so much, and her father was a doctor.

Realizing that Damon had been staring rather intensely at her, she snapped out of her reverie. "That's…really all there is to know, Mr. Salvatore," she concluded abruptly.

"'Mr. Salvatore?'" He laughed. "Please, call me Damon. Mr. Salvatore was my father." From his spiteful tone, Elena gathered that he didn't get along with his father, who, based on the use of past tense, is dead. _Noted_.

"Alright, Damon, why don't you tell me more about yourself? Your online profile didn't say much at all," she said, recovering from her emotional distraction with a surprising amount of sass.

He shrugged. "My family is also from Mystic Falls. I spent a large portion of my childhood here, but we moved around a lot."

"Do you have any siblings?" she asked, sincerely curious.

There was a bit of pause, which she found unusual, considering it was a simple yes or no answer. "Yes, one brother," he gritted out. "We don't really talk anymore…"

Immediately regretting the question, she redirected the focus of the conversation to herself. "I also have a brother," she said. "Our…our parents died a few years ago, and he really went through some dark times trying to cope. For a while, all we did was argue or reminisce about our parents. Eventually we grew close again, and I was able to show him that he was making the wrong decisions. I realize I don't know anything about the situation between you and your brother, but I guess what I'm trying to say is…I'm sure some day you will be able to work it out, too."

Her thoughtful and personal response seemed to surprise both of them as they stared at each other in silence. "Sorry, you probably didn't want to hear all that," she mumbled, blushing.

"Don't apologize, Elena," he said immediately. "You're right, maybe some day he and I will work out our differences, but that doesn't matter right now. If you don't mind, I've got one more thing to discuss with you."

The tension from before seemed to heighten as he walked around his desk and stopped in front of her. The difference in the height of their positions added an element of intimidation, and Elena was doing everything she could to appear calm on the outside, despite the constriction in her chest.

He bent down and placed a hand on each of the armrests, effectively locking her in place. As soon as she looked into his hypnotic crystalline eyes, breathing was impossible. Elena almost didn't hear what he was saying. "Tell me everything you know about Katherine Pierce," he commanded.

Somehow, Elena found a way to scrunch back further in her seat while forcing herself to look at anything but his dilating eyes. "I-I don't know…I don't know who that is," she stammered, shifting uncomfortably as he leaned in closer. "I think there's something wrong with your eyes."

He blinked a few times before pushing off the chair and leaning against the desk. Now, his eyes were back to normal, but they were roaming all over her as though he were looking for something in particular. The search lasted for a handful of seconds before he focused on the bracelets she was wearing. Following his gaze, she realized what he was looking at.

"These were from my…friend at college. We made them together," she said, trying to ignore the fact that she just referred to Aaron as a friend and not a boyfriend.

"Would you mind if I took a closer look?" he asked. He sounded interested, but looked irritated.

Her skin seemed to heat up from his touch as he held her wrist, turning it over a couple times to see all sides of the jewelry. "Vervain," he muttered.

"I'm sorry?"

He waved his hand dismissively and laughed it off. Before he could offer an explanation, someone else entered the room.

"You found her!" a small voice squeaked from behind the chair.

The strain between Elena and Damon dissipated once the little girl walked over to them. "Are you ready to come back home, mommy?" she asked, beaming.

Elena cast a nervous glance to Damon, silently begging him to explain to his daughter that she was not her mother. "Nadia, sweetheart, this is Elena Gilbert," he said, making sure to say Elena's name slowly, as if making a hidden implication. "She's going to be coming here during the week to keep an eye on you while I'm working."

Her eyes were alit with excitement. She cheered, "We're going to have so much fun together, Mommy!"

Sensing that Damon wasn't going to correct her, Elena said, "Well, Nadia, I'm actually going to be your babysitter, not your mom. Remember what I said last night? There's no way I could be your mom. I just met you and your father…"

Nadia's excitement dampened with each word Elena said. "I-I don't get it," she said looking between Elena and Damon. "You look just like her."

Damon must've sensed Elena's discomfort because he finally decided to address the situation. "I'll explain all of this to you later, Nadia. Why don't you go play for a little while, and then we can go out for a treat."

"Okay," she said, deflated.

Damon pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed heavily, which sounded forced. "I'm really sorry about that. She's still not over the accident."

"What happened?"

"Her mother – Katherine – died in a fire," he said distantly, looking as though he were reliving the incident in his mind.

"Katherine Pierce…the woman you asked if I knew?"

"I was asking because you look just like her. When I first saw your application, I'll admit, the similarity is what made me sure that you had to be the one I hire. Now that I've had some time to talk to you in person, I can tell that you're not her, but that's a good thing."

Feeling sufficiently disturbed, Elena stood up and laughed nervously, unsure as to how she was to receive that statement. "Are you sure it will be good for your daughter to have me around?"

"She's just a little confused right now. I'll be sure to talk to her tonight and try to help her understand the situation."

"I take it that means I got the job?" she asked sheepishly.

Damon grinned. "Yes, of course. Would you be able to start tomorrow?"

Elena paused, acting as though she actually had a schedule to consider. "I should be able to. What time will you need me to come over?"

"Let's shoot for noon. I'm not much of a morning person," he said, grinning.

The walk back to the foyer was relatively silent, despite Elena's best efforts to try to make small talk. Before she could walk out the door, Damon stepped in front of her.

"I really am looking forward to working with you, Elena," he said, reaching for her hand. With his eyes locked on hers, he bent down and kissed her knuckles.

"M-me too," she stammered. "I'll see you tomorrow."

While Damon leaned against the doorframe and watched her drive away, someone else lurked in the woods nearby, watching Elena with an equal amount of interest.

* * *

**A/N: **Apologies for the long wait for this update . I had this written a month ago, but I kept feeling unsatisfied with it lol The biggest problem with this story is figuring out how to explain the fact that Katherine and Damon have a kid. I have a few ideas, but that won't be explained till chapter 4. I do have the next chapter relatively planned out, so expect an update within a couple weeks (hopefully), as well as updates for my other stories.

3-5 comments would be amazing 3

XoXo Amber


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